A BOAT, beneath a sunny sky
by LunaMarr
Summary: It was the suprise of a lifetime, and yet everyone seemed to expect it except Jervis himself. Jervis Fluff/Jervis Angst AliceXJervis


Hands were everywhere.

Soft delicate little fingers tipped with a rosy pink nail that ended with soft white. Yes, that was his Alice.

His head cradled in her lap, her fingers caressing his face, his neck, his hair.

Jervis breathed in a sigh of contentment, and augmented by his own courage, Jervis opened his eyes.

_Beautiful_.

His Alice, his beautiful Alice, smiled down at him, soft lips pulled into a tender smile, long eyelashes shading gentle cerulean eyes.

This was real.

Jervis felt his face flush with warmth, and cursing his own bashfulness Jervis gave an embarrassed smile. She giggled, her tiny hand leaving his cheek and rising to her lips, her cheeks glowing. Jervis beamed, taking a moment to take in her appearance. Her hair, a blonde two shades paler than Jervis's own was pulled back from her milky face by a blue ribbon, and a simple blue dress adorned her tiny figure.

_Lovely. Just Lovely._

He felt another sigh slip from his lips, and his eyes took on a dreamy look as he admired the beauty before him. Alice released another chuckle, softer this time, and gently, with one finger began to trace his features. Not daring to close his eyes Jervis reached for her hesitantly, afraid of his own wistful thinking. Alice, always full of understanding smiled and her hand closed over his, tiny and slender in comparison even to a man sized like Jervis.

A little 'oh!' escaped his lips and he watched in awe as she placed his hand, palm up, against the soft flesh of her cheek.

"Oh-h…" Much to his chagrin a tremor ran down Jervis's spine and he felt his cheeks and the tip of his nose burn. Curse his lack of experience with women. Alice giggled, holding his hand against her cheek as she slowly bent, her face nearing Jervis's. He could have counted her eyelashes had he not been so consumed by her eyes and growing nearness.

_She wasn't, was she? No he was being silly, over-the-top, ridiculo-_

Her lips, like two soft pink petals brushed the very tip of Jervis's burning nose. The effect was instantaneous, a loud gasp was heard from Jervis and his eyes froze wide as saucers. His hands acted on their own accord, pulling her close, running his hands through her hair, across her face, down her neck. Before he realized it he had pulled her close and the urge to place kisses on the soft skin was nearly impossible to deny. Jervis swallowed stiffly, eyes wide at his own libido. How presumptuous of him. He had overdone it, wonderful beautiful Alice wouldn't allow such treatment, surely.

He started to open his mouth in an apology but was frozen when he felt two petals brush his lips. Stiff as a board, Jervis watched mouth agape as the young women above him smiled, her eyes dancing with amusement.

"Alice…_Alice._" Her name came out breathily, and his fears forgotten he pulled her close in an embrace.

"Dear, sweet Alice…" he cooed fondly, running his fingers through her silvery locks. Her delicious scent, like roses and fresh dew filled his senses, dazing him. His heart beat loudly in his ears, and he could feel her heart racing in the crook of her neck where his head currently rested.

They remained like that for an indefinite amount of time, perhaps an hour, a year, or even a few minutes. Jervis wouldn't have been able to tell for the life of him. He was broken from his calm reverie however when Alice-her voice just as soft as he remembered, whispered to him gently.

"They're waiting." Without further explanation she pulled from his embrace and stood, reaching for his hand. He gave it to her gladly. Standing Jervis grinned to her and with a quick glance around felt his jaw go slack in amazement. It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.

It was a meadow as far as he could tell, with waist high grass untouched by any of man's tools and sun-kissed a golden yellow. Wildflowers grew in large batches of color and danced lazily in the wind, they're tiny leaves appearing to almost wave in kind gesture. Surrounding the glade was a large forest, the branches twisted and gnarled and all together beautiful.

A soft tug brought Jervis back to reality and he fully turned to his blonde-haired companion, giving a grin that he hoped was more charming than embarrassed whilst following her, feeling giddy. She winked at his excitement and began walking towards the trees, her blue dress dancing across her knees. He tried not to stare.

Soft chirps and the gentle padding of their feet followed them into the wood, echoing in Jervis's ears. It could've been hours they walked, (Jervis never was good at keeping track of time) when they arrived in a small clearing.

"**We're home**." Alice turned to him excitedly, stepping out of his view so he could see the splendor before him. Jervis felt his mouth go dry as he gazed at the scene before him, a place he had tried to recreate in his past time and time again with failure. It was _the_ tea party. A long rectangular table, short enough so all the partakers could hear each other quite well, but long enough it was able to contain an assortment of cakes and tea, all resting delicately on china or silver. Various types of teas steamed inside oddly shaped teapots, and beautifully frosted cakes relaxed sweetly on precariously stacked platters. Each chair was different and with ease Jervis was able to tell who sat in each chair just by the way they were made. A tiny feminine chair with lightly polished wood and a blue backing was Alice's, _obviously_, a modest but tall chair with a crooked back was his own, a refined looking mahogany pew of sorts accompanied by a tuffet was the Dormouse's, and a dark, matchstick thin dining chair (It looked as though it had been stolen from an old, abandoned farmhouse) was the March Hare's. Jervis admired the pastries and teas in a daze, only awakened when a polite _knock_ sounded from the woods behind him.

Jervis turned on the spot, preparing himself for the man in black, come to ruin the surprise, but gasped when not the batman, but Edward Nigma, the Dormouse, stood there instead.

It wasn't so much the fact that the Riddler was there that surprised Jervis, but his appearance. The last time Jervis had seen Edward he had been a thin slightly bent man, with thin orange-grey hair and a crooked nose that had been broken a multitude of times. The man before him was tall and lean, his skin glowing with health and his hair a thick, luxurious red. Adorning him was a pair of green suit pants, a loose fitting dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, all covered by a deep purple vest. Edward grinned, showing a full set of white, glimmering teeth any girl would've swooned over, and approached Jervis swiftly. Jervis watched amazed as Edward (without that nasty limp he had gained from the bat a few years ago) stopped next to him, lithe straight fingers plucking a tea cup from the table and draining it in seconds, appearing slightly amused at Jervis's surprised expression.

"I-I, y-your, _Edward,_ what happened to you!" Jervis claimed exasperated. Jervis had not seen **this** Edward Nigma since his first days as the Mad Hatter, before all the failures and beatings that had been delivered by the batman. Edward merely winked and turned his attention to a spot just past Jervis's left ear.

"Is that the kind of greeting you give to your two closest friends after all this time? _What happened to you_?" Jervis went still as stone at the sound of that voice, stubborn, intellectual, with just an undertone of cockiness. Despite the last time Jervis had heard that being _years_ ago, in the form of a scream no less, it remained in his mind perfectly preserved, a small tribute to what once had been.

** .Dontturnaround.**_**Dontturnaround!**_

Against his will Jervis's legs moved, rotating him to see none other than a Jonathan Crane, just as Jervis remembered him before the…_accident. _He stood at the edge of the clearing, tall and thin as ever to the point he appeared emaciated, (although after seeing him wolf down an entire chocolate cake Jervis knew he was far from it) hair that couldn't decide between red and brown was messily mused and a pair of startling blue eyes watched Jervis with a look of amusement and fondness only Jonathan could accomplish.

His ally. His partner. His_ best friend._

A choked sob echoed in the clearing and it took a moment for Jervis to realize that the sound had come from his own throat. Faster than Jervis thought possible he was there, arms vice-like around Crane's torso and choked sobs racking his tiny body.

"_You promised, you said you would never leave! And you did! Youdidyouleftme!" _Jervis ranted frantically through his sobs, his voice cracked and pitchy.

Thin arms wrapped around Jervis's sides, hands tipped with thin spindly fingers most would have recoiled at coming to a rest on Jervis's back and pulling him into a comforting hug.

"I know."

It was the most comforting thing that Jonathan could've said, more powerful than any apology, no matter how detailed or heartfelt. From Jonathan it was a remark of total acceptance and understanding, a calm but silent apology that only Jervis could hear. Arms tight around his friend's waist, Jervis could hear the strong thrum of Jonathan's heart, a simple reassurance that the man in his arms was here, alive and safe. It was as if **it **had never happened.

"If you two are done…" Edwards's voice laced with a smirk caused Jervis to pull away, sniffing while eyeing his friend through blurred vision. Jonathan rolled his eyes at Jervis's display and produced a handkerchief from his pocket, a small smile remaining on his face throughout the process. After Jervis had thoroughly wiped the wet mess that was his face he paused to take a good look at Crane.

Now that he was closer he could see that a few things had changed about Jonathan. His hair, which had always had a dry, straw like consistency, seemed somewhat thicker and glossier if not more wild. His cheeks which had always been gaunt and nearly translucent in paleness seemed a bit thicker, and even perhaps a tad pinker. There were even a few freckles across the bridge of his nose. All in all his friend looked much healthier.

Jervis stared deadpanned at his friend for a moment before his face stretched into a teasing grin.

"You look well." He stated simply. Jonathan arched a single eyebrow and regarded him with a 'what are you insinuating here' look. Without explanation his stilt-like legs carried him to the table and back, a silver platter in his wiry hand.

"You don't look half bad yourself, although I see those teeth are still as large as ever."

Jervis looked at his reflection first with stoic expectance and then with surprise. His hair which had become a dead looking sandy color with age was now a bright, thick blonde. His skin which had long been sallow and yellow-like from lack of proper sunlight was once more a healthy beige, and his teeth, once a mangled mess of chipped incisors and crooked molars were once more straight and white, the annoying chips he so hated gone as if by magic. He looked like he had thirty years ago, back when he still worked for Wayne Enterprises. His hands went to his face, realizing that it had been so the entire time. He turned and when a pair of blue eyes met his own he smiled his trademark grin. He went to Alice's side in a flash gripping her tiny hands in his own happily.

"Oh Alice, Alice there is someone I would like you to meet!" he pulled her to Jonathan excitedly, (realizing that Edward had also approached the trio) and placing each of her hands in one of his friends began to shake them wildly. Jonathan (whose hand was so large that it entirely encompassed Alice's and then some) laughed (laughed!) and giving Jervis a serious 'listen here' look replied kindly.

"Jervis, we've already met, you see-"

"Alice was the one who brought us here in the first place." Eddie finished smirking. Jonathan took a moment to regard The Riddler with a 'was that really necessary' frown and turned back to Jervis who had ceased his grip on their hands and was now focused on Alice. She blushed and smiled shyly, waiting with baited breath for Jervis's reaction.

"You…you did this?" he asked softly. She nodded in response and gently slid her hand into his.

"I wanted to make it special." Jervis's reaction was to be expected; he gripped the tiny girl in his arms and spun her in a circle, kissing her face with joy.

"Alice, oh Alice, you wonderful muchness girl, you!" he put her down gently and grinned wide eyed at his friends, feeling better than he had in a lifetime.

They watched him expectantly, Edward with an amused smirk, and Crane with a crooked smile. With a sigh of delight Jervis's smile stretched, and bowing he gestured to the table.

"Tea anyone?"

~O~

Somewhere in a forgotten room in Arkham Jervis Tetch slumped against the wall of his padded cell, his arms securely wrapped around his body. His eyes swam with tears despite the painful smile that disfigured his face and through clenched teeth half-broken sobs escaped his body. Glazed eyes stared into the darkness happily, and if anyone had cared enough to look through the small 2 by 4 inch window that punctured the steel door entrance they never would have guessed that the tiny man was the happiest man in Arkham, forever loved in his own and loving in his own, perfect Wonderland.

~O~

_In a Wonderland they lie,  
Dreaming as the days go by,  
Dreaming as the summers die:  
Ever drifting down the stream -  
Lingering in the golden gleam -  
Life, what is it but a dream?_


End file.
